No one puts Mad Dog in a corner: unpopular SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon demands new powers for Holyrood but Prime Minister Theresa May says Holyrood may not get them at Scottish Tory Party Conference in Glasgow, is it time that Nicola Sturgeon dropped the angry wee Nat routine?

Dear All

It is becoming quite clear that Westminster doesn’t trust the SNP government of Nicola Sturgeon; they don’t see them as someone who they can do business with, and that’s a problem.

Not for Westminster but for Holyrood.

Being able to work together is outside the mindset of the SNP who aren’t interested in co-operation and respect, they have no interest in making devolution work rather their focus is destroying it.

As such Holyrood may not get more powers after Brexit according to Prime Minister Theresa May especially the control over policy areas such as fishing and agriculture. The issue of competence is a concern but more than that, there is the question of abuse of power.

The EU wants continued access to UK fishing waters, after Brexit the right of EU fishermen to fish those waters will go, if the SNP take control of Scottish waters we could see a situation where they attempt to create a crisis by allowing the EU to simply fish our waters?

Why would they do this?

There are many reasons; the chief one would be as a bargaining chip to attempt to fast track an independent Scotland into the EU if the Nationalists can ever win the vote. Secondly, and it’s an old story to stoke resentment against Scotland in England, the SNP did this before by the Al Megrahi release, so nothing new there then. Thirdly, the old tired game of ‘Us vs Them’ as the SNP try to develop the narrative that Scots are somehow better than the English.

Everyone knows the SNP’s game, and everyone knows what will happen if additional powers come after Brexit, the SNP will try to create their own ‘mini’ EU unofficial membership links. That means Nicola Sturgeon will be disappearing round Europe in the vain hope that the EU will recognise Scotland as separate from the rest of the UK.

Despite the fake news threat of Holyrood being stripped of powers by Nicola Sturgeon, the PM said no powers will be taken away from Scottish ministers as a result of the decision to leave the European Union. What will come to Holyrood is additional money which they will be responsible for spending.

May stated that responsibilities that transfer back to Britain from Brussels "must sit at the right level to ensure our United Kingdom can operate effectively". That doesn’t mean that additional powers are completely vetoed, it means the SNP are placed on noticed, if you continue to act as you do at present then you cannot expect new powers.

Theresa May is in Glasgow to deliver a speech to the Scottish Conservative   conference to rally the troops before the Council elections in May. The Conservatives are hoping as they are ahead in the polls that they could beat Scottish Labour into third place.

May also said:

"I am determined to ensure that as we leave the EU, we do so as one United Kingdom, which prospers outside the EU as one United Kingdom. That means achieving a deal with the EU which works for all parts of the UK - England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - and for the UK as a whole."

It looks like Nicola Sturgeon has painted herself into a corner again, she is now forced to consider that co-operation isn’t just a tactic but it will have to become a way of life, can she drop the angry wee Nat routine? Can she tie up the Nationalist attack dogs? Can she put the muzzle on Scotland’s ‘jolly fat man’ Alex Salmond?

Stay tuned, Nicola Sturgeon doesn’t have the upper hand with Westminster will she opt for the notion, 'no one puts Mad Dog in a corner'.

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University